Herron in the running for mayor
MAYCO member for transport and urban development Brett Herron has thrown his name in the hat for the post of Cape Town mayor after Patricia de Lille’s departure at the end of October.
He is considered De Lille’s righthand man and lifelong confidant. Herron, 52, said his father, a city councillor in Durban, motivated him to serve his community a long time ago.
“As a child during the apartheid era, I accompanied my father, Clive Herron, a senior Durban city councillor, on weekend visits as he worked to improve conditions in the city’s townships. That exposure made me acutely aware of the vast inequalities in South African society but also of the potential of local government to transform lives,” Herron said.
“My father taught me a simple lesson about leadership and responsibility: that those who are able to speak out have a duty to do so for those who cannot. The next mayor of Cape Town must have the courage, vision, passion, care, humility, experience and skills to lead this city and its people into a more prosperous, secure future for all,” he said.
Herron became a City councillor in 2009, and initially served on the housing portfolio committee, where he submitted a motion calling on the City to provide basic services to backyard dwellers.
This led to the City agreeing to allow the roll-out of services to backyard tenants who had formerly been dependent on the toilets and services of their landlords.
Later in the same year, he was elected chairperson of the social development portfolio committee and then as mayco member for community services.
In 2011, he was appointed mayco member for transport and, together with De Lille, led the expansion of the MyCiti bus route.
“It has been my greatest honour and privilege to serve Cape Town since 2009. Being a politician in local government means being very close to the coalface.
“To lead programmes that can redress the injustices of apartheid, serve society and speak out for those who cannot, as I was taught to do, is what motivates me every day,” Herron said.
DA provincial communications director Odette Carson said the applications process closed yesterday at midnight.
“It is still early days, but we will communicate further details on the processes going forward,” she said.
Former Cape Town mayor Dan Plato is the front runner to take over from De Lille, who succeeded Plato in 2011.
Although unconfirmed, City councillors Grant Twigg, Angus McKenzie, mayco member for water and sanitation Xanthea Limberg and deputy mayor Ian Neilson are all in the running to take over from De Lille.
DA Western Cape leader Bonginkosi Madikizela was first touted to take over from De Lille, but he is out of the running as he is a candidate to take over from Zille.
After 13 months of mudslinging and public attacks, the DA and De Lille ended their impasse, which required De Lille to vacate office by October 31.